By mid-morning, a fairly substantial crowd grew and, bolstered by numbers, a few began throwing clods of dirt. The dirt had stones mixed in with it, and they hurt. One hit Odo square on the forehead and he saw a bright flash of light. Blood trickled down his face from cuts, one eye was partly swollen shut, but so far he was coping. He had no choice. People were frequently killed in the pillory, a fact Odo was very aware of.

Someone brought him water, he couldn't remember who, and it ...